ESA Orders GIOVE-A Replacement

Today, European Space Agency ESA signed a contract for a GIOVE-A replacement satellite called GIOVE-A2. It will be based on the GIOVE-A and will secure the frequencies needed for the Galileo navigational system. Additionally it will incorporate several enhancements for evaluation before operational satellites’ production starts.

The satellite will be launched in the second half of 2008 at earliest depending on the status of the already-in-orbit GIOVE-A and the upcoming GIOVE-B. The initial evaluation phase will consist of 4 satellites with the complete constellation being 30 satellites.

Galileo is Europe’s navigation system planned to be fully operational in the 2011-2012 time frame and will compete with the mature GPS system as well with the Russian Glonass system.